English Transcript

Cập nhật 15/07/2008 15:57:00

For the first time, the Indonesian State is set to accept that its military, police and civilian government was "institutionally responsible" for "gross human rights violations" before and after East Timor's independence referendum in 1999. Those findings are contained in the final report by the Indonesian and East Timorese Truth and Friendship Commission which has been obtained by Radio Australia.

Presenter: Geoff Thompson; Speakers: Major General (ret'd) Kiki Syahnakri, former commander of martial law in East Timor; Raffendi Djamin, Indonesia's Human Rights Working Group.

THOMPSON: To journalists working on the ground in East Timor in 1999 it became rapidly clear that the anti-independence pro-autonomy militias were working hand in glove with Indonesia's police and military.

The story which made it back to Jakarta was usually very different. A systematically co-ordinated campaign of violence and intimidation was often portrayed by Indonesian officials and the Indonesian press as some sort of equally-sided spontaneous unrest. In the end, up to 1500 lives were lost in the violence which prompted the intervention of an Australian-led military force.

Militia commander Eurico Guterres was the only person ever to do jail time in Indonesia, for his part in the violence and now even he is free.

And that is why, after 2 and half years of research, hearings and deliberations the final report of the bilateral Truth and Friendship Commission, obtained by the ABC, will come as bit of shock to many Indonesians.

In short, the 300 plus page report finds that "gross human rights violations in the form of crimes against humanity did occur in East Timor in 1999 and these violations included murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, torture, illegal detention and forcible transfer and deportation carried out against the civilian population".

Most significantly the report finds that "in regard to crimes committed in support of the pro-autonomy movement, the Commission concluded that (the militias), the (Indonesian military), the Indonesian civilian government and (the Indonesian police) must all bear institutional responsibility for gross human rights violations targeted against civilians supporting the independence cause".

Last night, this was far from welcome news to retired Major General Kiki Syahnakri, who was the commander of martial law in East Timor in September of 1999.

"I am very unhappy", he says "because it was never proven that it happened and am unhappy that the TNI is held institutionally accountable because it's very much unfair."

THOMPSON: The report does not name names or recommend specific prosecutions. But it says the evidence demonstrates that Indonesian military personnel participation included direct involvement in crimes by military units working within militias at the direction of Indonesian military officers. In the past President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has consistently disputed such assessments as has the Indonesian military commander in 1999 General Wiranto who is running for election in Indonesia next year.

Raffendi Djamin of Indonesia's Human Rights Working Group has also read the report. He believes that the commission's decision not grant any amnesties means that the pressure is back on Indonesia to pursue prosecutions.